Ngā kōrero hou mō te kaupapa mahi ki Kawau
Kawau project operational updates
Keep up with important operational updates related to the Kawau Island pest eradication activities.
Introduction
The success of this programme, initially and long term, depends on the support and involvement of Kawau Island’s community. Auckland Council is committed to working with you, keeping you up to date and listening to your feedback.
This is your page to keep up with all the important updates on the Kawau Island pest eradication programme and some of the environmental outcomes we hope to celebrate in the future.
Next steps: February - March 2026
We aim to deliver a ground-based application of 1080 cereal bait and cut-foliage treated with 1080 gel in the southern sector (excluding residential areas and block one):
- This will take place in the second week of March 2026, weather permitting.
- The window is timed to avoid school and public holidays.
- Neighbouring landowners of the treatment area will be notified of the date that toxins are scheduled to be deployed.
Note that:
- the toxin application will support the ongoing hunting effort to remove wallabies and possums where numbers are high. This has been revealed by regular camera and drone monitoring in the southern blocks.
- the treatment area is on private property and gates to the property will be locked. Please refer to map below.
- baits will be placed a minimum of 20 metres from private tracks and roads.
- warning signage will be in place at wharves, main entry points to the treatment area and at treated foliage sites.
- neighbouring properties will be notified ahead of toxic bait application and once foliage bait has been removed. Cereal bait will degrade naturally in the environment.
- Public Health conditions including exclusion zones for block one and setbacks from residential areas will apply. Monitoring of ground-based domestic water supplies within or downstream of treatment areas will also take place.
- carcasses will be removed where practical. A caution period of several months will follow while carcasses naturally breakdown.
Map of Kawau Island showing the ground-based 1080 treatment area.
Download map (PDF - 2.51MB)
Further information
Visit the Kawau project news and key safety information webpage. Also refer to the Kawau Island eradication project factsheet for landowners and residents (PDF 1.85MB) and the dog protection factsheet (PDF 1.02MB) for further information.
Questions or concerns
Phone 09 301 0101. Email kawauislandproject@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
Previous updates
Check out previous updates - May to Nov 2025 (PDF 156KB).
